


As Good a Place to Fall as Any

by runicmagitek



Category: Final Fantasy VI
Genre: F/M, Mid-Canon, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, World of Ruin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-25
Updated: 2015-07-25
Packaged: 2018-04-11 02:16:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4417178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/runicmagitek/pseuds/runicmagitek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Silence screams louder than anything she could ever utter to him and it's bound to drive him crazy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As Good a Place to Fall as Any

The controls weren't built with his hands in mind. The purpose behind each lever, switch, and button hadn't differed from the console once on the Blackjack, but when Setzer stood there on board the Falcon, his presence was the only loose cog in the machinery. It was _her_ airship, after all, and thus her efforts manifested. Setzer only pieced the broken puzzle back together. It was never his, whether by creation or gamble, yet now the airship belonged to him. No one else could burden the vessel. Setzer hadn't been bragging about his claim as fastest pilot in the world; no one could compete with him - he was the only pilot left. 

But it never resigned him to solitude. Others walked the levels of the Falcon since she took flight again. People he wasn't sure if he could call friends before, back when he was more an outsider looking in on a rebellion's activity. Nothing more than a voyeur, a means to an end. Now when Setzer glimpsed over their faces, he saw friends, ones who trusted him. In hindsight, he could have been stubborn and insist on drinking himself into oblivion in Kohlingen, but he longed to fly again. If it meant another wild chase to free the world from corruption, then so be it. Another excuse to take to the skies again. 

Another excuse to be closer to her. 

Setzer enjoyed the company of the remaining Returners. Edgar frequented the upper deck the most, always initiating conversation pertaining to engineering and women. Cyan made an occasional appearance to savor the fresh air and view. He said little to Setzer, but at least he didn't stare him down with disdain. Sometimes Gau accompanied him, asking Setzer too many questions and running reckless. Of all of them, he waited for the particular clicks of heels along the floor to strike behind him - a long, slow stride which tantalized him more than the wind playing with his hair. 

Celes always rose to the upper deck alone, blonde hair tousled in the breeze with her eyes set to the horizon. She never faced him properly, always at an angle or keeping her back to Setzer. He kept to his post, but couldn't help himself when his sights wandered elsewhere. In the beginning, he attempted conversation. Celes responded in brisk sentences and never enlightened Setzer further. So he honored the silence, despite the struggle to hear her voice fill the air around them. 

Each time she leaned into the railing, Setzer yearned to abandon his post and join Celes. They could talk about anything: the weather, the landscape, the places they had visited over time, and the stories of everything in between. Whatever popped to mind, Setzer was willing to watch Celes, certain he’d relish the words woven from her cool voice.

Just chatter between friends. That's what they were, right? Setzer convinced himself time and time again, yet the same daydreams surfaced each moment he caught a glimpse of her - the ones where he desired to tuck her pale blonde hair behind her ear before locking lips with her. When the urge bubbled forward, Setzer immediately smothered any idea of confronting her in kind. Knowing his luck, Celes would jerk away and slap him. A generous reaction, too. She had every right to think ill of him and as much as Setzer longed to change her mind, he couldn't fault her, either. 

But lust wasn't the only emotion fueling his mind when they occupied the same vicinity. Whenever she joined him up top, she kept quiet, yet screamed with her movements. Battle-worn hands fidgeted over one another while blue eyes flicked about. She shifted her weight, no longer standing like the militant officer who demanded respect from thousands. Whatever demon lurked in her core had dared to snuff out her inner fire. Setzer wished he could have been blind to the reasons why, but they all had been stressed over the endless search for survivors. With only half of the original team discovered, more ground needed to be covered, but patience and hope wore thin with every empty attempt. The group vented over shoddy alcohol in tattered bars and jaded card games in the main foyer of the Falcon. 

Everyone but Celes. 

_What are you thinking of?_ Setzer always wanted to ask when she stood inaudible and opposite him on the upper deck. Oh, how he longed to ease her thoughts and muscles, taking away the potential misery she experienced. It was when he gazed upon Celes when he realized his intentions surpassed sheer lust - his heart ached for her.

But he didn't dare discuss with her or anyone else of the matter. Not when their journey was taking a disavowed toll on Celes. Setzer heeded her privacy and damned himself for his weakness, unable to cease the reveries of her. Such daydreams involved her laughing and smiling, an image he couldn't recall if he ever physically experienced. He remembered the times when the sun caught her billowing hair. Before him then, she appeared like an angel instead of a battle-hardened Magitek knight. 

_Did anyone ever treat you with the respect you deserve?_ Setzer thought at night when the figments of Celes teased him into insomnia. _Would you ever let anyone come close enough to you?_

For Setzer might have viewed her with nothing but carnal intentions when the world was still in balance, but his stare softened upon her, tinted with a tenderness he hadn't experienced since the Falcon's former owner flew beside him. 

But he doubted Celes bothered to think of him in any way when she fell into silence. The stress tensed her shoulders, pursed her lips, and wrinkled her brow; he didn't need to be another factor plucking at her nerves. 

Yet he tortured himself with the mental images when he found seclusion, whether piloting the airship or tinkering on the engine in his spare time. Each moment forced Setzer to pause and consciously breathe until the thoughts faded away and the prickles flooding his skin vanished. With Celes present, it worsened, but he thanked the gods the others were present constantly. He used them as a distraction, diving into conversation so he didn't resort to biting his finger while looking over Celes. When they departed to scout out a new area, Setzer volunteered to stay behind. Preferring to bet on fights than initiate combat, his seasoned hands were better put to use on board the Falcon. And the Falcon always required work, or so he believed; it was enough to not warrant outside attention while he lingered behind. 

Alone once more on board the foreign, yet familiar airship. The nuances in Darill's mechanic skills still eluded him; Setzer couldn't duplicate her expertise if he tried. Though he was determined, even if all it served as was a distraction.

Descending from the upper deck and heading towards her former room - the one he locked himself up in when the group deliberated over their next plan of attack - Setzer rested a hand upon the handle. Before turning it, he held his breath as the subtle echo of booted feet on the floor crawled towards him. 

"Aren't you supposed to be with the others?" Setzer asked. 

The sound of movement stopped. "Am I?"

He pivoted to face Celes. "You've always been adamant about heading out and helping. Only fit if you follow such a pattern, hmm?"

She blinked, arms wrapped tight around her torso. "Same can be said about you staying behind."

A light chuckle laced within his exhale. "You're _quite_ observant." Setzer was greeted with silence. "...can I help you with something, Celes?"

A spark fired in her blue eyes. "What makes you think I need help?"

That _tone_. She had always been confrontational, doubting both his hospitality and gratitude. The biting ice behind her tongue melted and now she spoke with... was it curiosity? Anxiety? Of all the poker faces he had to interpret throughout his career as a gambler, Setzer had yet to crack through the guise Celes was intent on wearing since they crossed paths in Kohlingen. 

And he tried to dismiss it. "Simply offering assistance. A friendly gesture for a friend in need." Setzer paused. "Not that I'm insinuating that you _are_ in need, but-" He swallowed hard, noting her fierce stare. "Trying to be helpful. That's all."

Celes' eyes darted to the door and back to Setzer. "What are you doing?"

"...same thing I do every time all of you vacate the premise?"

"Which is?"

_Try to not think of you._ "Tinkering on a few parts. Not that there's anything to worry about; airship is fit for any flying condition. It simply... puts my mind at ease to keep improving it."

"Wouldn't said parts be down below?"

"Retrieving blueprints first, or at least what scribbles are left of them."

Her shoulders slipped up her neck as she sucked in a breath. "I'm interrupting then."

"Not at all," Setzer replied far too quickly. Closing his eyes, he mentally cursed himself for his eagerness. "It's...." Setzer revealed his eyes to her again. "You'd have to try hard to be interrupting me, Celes."

Arms slid down her form and her hands fidgeted. "Yet you're always quiet. Can't help but wonder if something is troubling you."

Concern from Celes Chère herself. Setzer swore he imagined it. 

"Funny," he replied deliberately, faintly, "I was starting to think the same of _you_."

She forced her hands down to her sides. "Mind if I keep you company?"

"No." Then he smirked. "Certainly hasn't stopped you before." Gods knew she surfaced onto the upper deck more times than he could keep track. The brief glare from Celes had Setzer chuckling, though. "I'm kidding.” Opening the door, Setzer motioned for Celes to follow. “Come along."

The small room was nothing impressive, but it contained what few  artifacts - Darill’s personal belongings - remained from the Falcon's crash. Setzer still made little sense of her notes. Left to his own devices, he guessed on half of them when met with the task to maintain the airship. A desk ran along one wall, covered in journals and scrolls Setzer didn't bother to organize. On the adjacent side, a dated, dusty poker table sat alone - a gift to Darill on Setzer's behalf, back when she longed for private games with him. Distant memories - all of it - yet a constant reminder of what he once had. 

With ginger steps, Celes entered. She soaked up her surroundings, curiosity swelling her eyes. Not a word left her. Setzer couldn't determine if her silence was a gift or a curse. 

He approached the desk and rifled through worn parchment to find the faded sketches detailing the smaller parts to the engine. As he thumbed over them, he explained to Celes the purpose of each one. Glancing to his side, he caught her standing by him, fidgeting her hands and glossing over the sketches. _What are you thinking?_ he mused to himself, the thought unnerving him. She couldn't possibly be bored; she would have left by now.

Sandwiched closer to the bottom lied the blueprint he searched for. He grinned upon its discovery and plucked it out. The plan was to head down to the engine room and as Setzer began to convey the details, a weight fell upon the front of his shirt and jerked him away from the desk. He glimpsed at Celes stepping into him, hitching his breath right before she crushed her lips into his. 

Time and time again, Setzer thought of kissing her. Celes never struck him as the type who cared for traditional romance - neither did he, to an extent - but Setzer still wished to pamper her. All she had known was a sword in one hand and magical ice pulsing through the other. Setzer was more than willing to demonstrate what other emotions lied on the spectrum aside from aggression and detachment. Maybe then her hands would relax and she'd allow herself to enjoy a breather, even if for a moment. 

But he never expected her to be so eager to show him instead. 

The parchment fell from his hands and landed elsewhere. It was the last of his concerns when Celes diverted his focus with opening her mouth to him. A raw energy, one he never witnessed before, pulsed through her. Rough hands pawed at his chest and her body dared to crush into his. Setzer held back the pleased moan struggling to burst forth. He blamed the lack of air in his lungs as the reason why he pulled away from Celes, yet his head spun as if he was back in Kohlingen’s decrepit tavern. 

"Celes-"

"Please," she begged, voice and body shaking lightly. "With everything happening, I...." Her eyes flicked down to his lips, then back up. "I can’t help it. I want to forget about all of it, as stupid as that sounds-"

"It's not stupid."

Her lips brushed over his. "Then _please_ help me forget."

Celes kissed him hard before he could muster a reply, but Setzer responded back with a solid kiss. He nipped at her lip, teased it with a tongue until Celes made the most decadent, tiny squeal. Setzer cupped her face and Celes tangled a hand into his hair. One arm looped around the small of her back and her spare hand clawed at his shirt’s buttons. The moment she revealed his scarred chest, Celes dragged nails down the front. 

Setzer hitched his breath and reigned back. "Shouldn't we slow down?"

His question was met with a furious glare. "I don't _want_ slow," Celes hissed.

For some time, Setzer convinced himself that if luck ever favored him, he would treat Celes right and not take advantage of the situation. Yet there she was, gazing into his eyes with a zeal he had never witnessed before and rubbing her body into his, ardent as ever. It set fire to the fuse he left untouched long ago - the one containing every damn, vulgar fantasy he had of her. 

When she kissed him again, Setzer opened his mouth and forced his tongue past her lips. The pleased coo she made along with the soft warmth of her own tongue sent a chill up and down his spine. Celes continued to tug at both his shirt and hair while his hands clung to either side of her waist. While not as strong as his teammates, adrenaline fueled Setzer to lift Celes and relocate her.

The poker table might have had a coat of dust settled on top, but it didn't deter either of them. Settling into her new perch, Celes parted her legs and lured him into the space. He shrugged his jacket off first, then peeled away hers. The pale patches of skin highlighted by blonde hair entranced Setzer and he kissed over her shoulders and neck once he discarded the item. Celes arched into him when he traced the curves of her breasts and circled around the peaks. Through the material, her nipples hardened and the most erotic sounds flowed out of her when he pinched at them. 

Setzer couldn't help but moan back as Celes snaked her hands into his open shirt and caressed his sides and back. At one point, she tugged at him and Setzer followed her lead as she reclined onto the table. He crawled on top of her, accepting the single leg hooking over his hips to draw him into her. Celes gasped and blushed once their bodies ground into each other, as if she was oblivious to the effect she had on Setzer after all this time, let alone now.

And now he was torn between two desires. He wanted to take his time, strip her nude, and explore every inch of her body. He also wished to tug only the necessities out of the way and ravage her while hoping the table could withstand the weight and force. With the way Celes tilted her hips into him to rub along his stiff hard on and the way she clung onto his body and hair and the way she whimpered and squirmed as he sucked on her neck... she was giving him _very_ little reason to stop and rethink the situation. 

Setzer managed to tug her top down enough to expose her breasts, moaning with approval over the pink hue of her nipples before taking one into his mouth. She tightened her grip on his hair, both of them groaning and pawing at each other. Light tremors rolled over her body and demands of more pleasure fell from Celes' lips. The yanks on his hair forced Setzer to return to her mouth and he lavished her with the same intensity he bestowed upon her breasts. Nothing about the shared passion between them was muted and mild; a fire rolled through them both and threatened to sear them to ash unless they surrendered to their desires. 

His name danced on her tongue. Never did he think he'd hear her say it while lost in a state of bliss, laced within a whimper. Inhaling her breath, he swore no top-shelf liquor could obliterate his mind the way _that sound_ just did. How was he to deny her now? She splayed out beneath him, hair fanning from her body, half topless and blush coloring her cheeks. Her hand combed through his hair and trailed over his collarbone. The other teased the top of his pants and fingered at the belt obscuring her path. Setzer instinctively drove into her hand, hoping she'd either undo the belt or duck down to stroke him through the material.

The pulse of blood thrumming through his body sounded in his skull like a heavy drum. Each shallow breath trembled in his tight throat. He couldn't look away from Celes. He couldn't think of anything else but tasting her, touching her, and tantalizing her. Her fingers curled over the belt and with one fluid motion, freed a section out from a loop. Stilling his body, Setzer gazed upon her face, drawn in by the lick of her raw lips, a red hint splashed over them. He wanted screams to pour out of those lips. He wanted this distraction she begged for - for _him_ \- to be branded into the fibers of her soul. 

Setzer lost himself in the subtle touches and sounds while suspended in the moment. He thought only of how the fuck he was going to peel her pants out of the way without slowing down or literally tearing them from their threads. It didn't occur to him that all of it could end in any possible way. 

Voices and footsteps echoed from outside, the door muffling the exact words said, but Setzer recognized those who returned to the Falcon. They called out his name - Celes’, too - curious as to where he was hiding now. One of them had to be dumb enough to knock at the closed door keeping him and Celes separated from the others. 

"Give me a damn minute!" Setzer yelled back, a little more perturbed than he desired to let on. 

He sighed and dropped his head. Heartbeats still thundered through him and the halt in their actions left his muscles tense and sweltering. Closing his eyes and swallowing hard, Setzer tried to defog his mind. He could have continued and damned the rest of the party to hell; he _needed_ this. So did Celes. Though he noticed the absence of her hand and her eyes averted elsewhere. 

The moment passed, the illusion shattered, and Setzer hoped she didn't have a change in heart once she walked out the door. 

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her before pressing a sweet kiss into her neck. 

She didn't say anything when he sat up and pulled away. Couldn't even look him in the eye when he retrieved her jacket while she pulled her top back up proper. Setzer sighed, searching for the right words to say to her and salvage the moment.

Instead, she beat him to it. "You won't....” Her hands fidgeted. “You won’t _say_ anything to the others, right?"

He blinked and tilted his head, fluffing hair over his shoulder upon slipping back into his jacket. "How exactly would that benefit me?" Celes didn't answer. "I don't revel in embarrassing a lady. Your secret is safe with me, my dear." Setzer hesitated, moistening his lips with a flick of his tongue. "...if you'd have me again-"

"Another time, perhaps?"

The grin pulling at his lips was only overpowered by the tension straining his body from the frustration of it all. "Yes. Another time."

He scooped up her hand and kissed her palm. Violet eyes stared through her, even as he drifted back after squeezing her hand. A shaky sigh fell out from him. He entertained the notion of requesting Celes to cast a Blizzard upon him in hopes to calm down. From the look she returned to him while smoothing out her attire, hands no longer quivering, Celes mirrored his expression. Hopefully his thoughts, as well. 

Setzer offered to exit the room first. No one blinked when Celes emerged from it later on. For now, he kept his eyes and hands to himself, regardless of the constant sting prickling down to his bones. However, he couldn’t contain his thoughts and Setzer kept playing their encounter over in his head. Those thoughts occasionally wiggled away and brought forth the question of why Celes ever approached him to begin with. _Him_. Of all people. Was it for silence and discretion? Or did she truly yearned for him and his attention after all this time? The next time he heard the familiar boots step foot onto the upper deck, Setzer was sure to speak up, perhaps greet her with a kiss while pulling her into him. 

Until then, he smirked as fantasies distracted him from reality. 


End file.
